Sustainable Campus Initiatives for a Greener Future

1. The Carrot Sticks • Create Interdisciplinary “Building Assessment” Green Teams, and a Standard Assessment Model • Make “going green” cool/fashionable • Smart Refrigeration System (SRS) • The Rensselaericle

2. Create Interdisciplinary “Building Assessment” Green Teams, and a Standard Assessment Model • Focus: assessing the performance and use of a building, via more holistic approach • Team conducts multi-faceted analysis • Develop a Standard Assessment Model • Apply for grant (Stimulus Package, NSF, NYSERDA etc.) Specific to bio-limaticassessment and retrofitting of older buildings • Impact • Environment: Project dependent thus potential impact is large • Economic: Project dependent • Culture: Train and grow awareness among group and building occupants • Pay-Back • Dependent on extent and type of retrofit identified • Feedback

3. Focus: Holistic building assessment • Departs from piece-meal, ‘quick-fix’, heavy-handed approaches to building renovation (e.g., replace all windows, replace all light bulbs, replace all plumbing fixtures) • Examines the interplay of multiple additional factors and data

4. Team would conduct a multi-faceted analysis • Bioclimatic analysis: energy use/performance of building systems • How much do existing systems take into account the external environment? (wait for SRS) • Account for: • Solar energy presence • Wind flows • Temperature swings (diurnal, seasonal, etc.) • Occupancy flows (uses of the building during the course of the day; uses in different seasons; changes in use in past decades)

5. Make Sustainability Cool • Publicize/promote outstanding sustainable products • Showcase/advertise sustainable behaviors/practices • Impact: • Culture: Foster positive attitudes towards the environmental implications of social behaviors • Economic: Minimal…advertising. Word of mouth, action • Environment: Once the ball gets rolling…. • Who will implement? • Admin., IWSTF, SSTF, and everyone • Feedback…

6. Driving a Sustainability Culture • President Jackson is ‘far and away’ the most influential voice on campus • Only person whose decisions/leadership automatically gets results • In consultation with Dr. Jackson, develop strategies for driving a sustainability culture • Inspiration: a slogan with the impact of “Yes We Can!” • Aspiration : set clear goals, with metrics and monitoring • Communication: continue the SSTF’s model of collaborative knowledge-building, networking and idea-mining • Motivation: publicize achievements to create the desire for others to emulate success

7. Examples • Example: Campus retailers or organizations (e.g., Student Senate) offer subsidies to clubs or teams who buy sustainable products and materials and use sustainable practices/processes • Example: request “sustainable product reviews” from Statler & Waldorf and/or The Poly

8. Examples Cont. • Example: use the central sustainability information website as an advertising venue • “Top Ten Sustainable Products” • “Product of the Week” • Example: provide display area (showcase or central sustainability area)

9. Example: The Rensselaer “Eco-Button™” • USB-connected energy counter/hibernator for computers • Instantly hibernates computer at near-zero energy consumption • Instantly re-awakens at “wherever you left off” • First screen shows money saved, energy saved • Rensselaer logo printed on the button • Purchase at reduced rate through Voorhees Computer Center • Add to computing package sold to incoming students • Could use coupon to be redeemed at the VCC • Sell to faculty and staff • Use fliers and coupons to advertise • Provide free for a limited time • Can also purchase additional buttons • Advanced use: develop additional software to track and display the savings by class, by school, etc. Product currently available at: www.buzline.com

10. Example: Annual Sustainability Awards/Appreciation Dinner • Awards for best sustainability courses • Awards for best sustainability research • Showcase innovative technologies • Recognition of best practices (emphasizing ‘operations’ at Rensselaer) • Could incorporate speaker or presentations on innovative technologies

11. Example: Club for “Recycled Art” • Group focused on creating art made of recycled material. • Intended to be displayed in public spaces. • Would provide venue for creative students • Easy to set up due to pre-existing environmental awareness clubs.

12. Example: Sponsor Intramural Sports Teams • Select several intramural sports teams to represent a sustainability theme. • Provide free themed t-shirts, water bottles, etc. • Consciousness raising. • Analogous to Vasudha.

13. Research Project: Smart Refrigeration System (SRS) • Eco-Refrigerator integrated into building wall to cool with outside air in winter • Reduce energy consumption • Reduce the use of freon • Use indoor and outdoor thermostat to control switching of cooling system • Discharge off-heat to outside the building in summer (to reduce air-conditioning costs) • Discharge to inside the building in winter

14. Rensselaericle • The “Rensselaericle”: transforming the American auto industry • Goal: to address the entire life cycle of transportation carbon emissions • By creating a new, low-emissions (electric vehicle), but ALSO • By doing away with “consumable” or “throw-away” cars and trucks • Underlying problem: U.S. metropolitan models are decentralized; therefore the European approach to urban public transportation is cost-inhibitive for most U.S. locations • Americans love “individual” freedom: they are addicted to “a car for every person” • Also addicted to consumerism – always wanting “the latest style” • Result: a new car every year or two (or five) • Greatest carbon emission is not gas mileage, but auto manufacturing/embodied energy

15. Rensselaericle • Solution: create a modular car, with a “core to last a lifetime” (20-30 year life) • Base model: galvanized metal, slate gray, simple shape • Simple, durable interior design • Independent electric motors at every wheel (regenerative breaking) • Central ‘power-box’ where electricity is generated • Add-ons: exterior body panels (e.g., make it a Cadillac, Ferrari, or Buick) • Similar ‘upgrades’ for interior • All using interchangeable parts • Power source: as new technology (e.g., upgraded batteries, fuel cell, LNG) come on the market, the owner changes the power source, NOT the car • Result: satisfies consumer desire for a “new car” with a fraction of the manufacturing costs – in terms of both economics and carbon emissions • Used parts can be exchanged, re-used • “Core” could also be expanded (e.g., from 2-seat to 4-seat module) by unbolting and inserting an add-on section • Basic “core/skeleton” remains unchanged • Note: could devastate the auto industry, which is based economically on frequent, wasteful replacement with a new model • Current timing – with the auto industry already undergoing major overhaul – is ideal

16. Rensselaericle • Impact • Environmental: Greatest carbon emissions reduction possible • Economic: Flip economics of auto industry • Culture: Dispose of throw away mentality… • Who will implement?

17. The full line up